Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1887-05-27
Charitable Mr.. BOWS8F.
HIS UNFORTUNATE EXPERIENCE
AS A BENEFACToR AND DIS.
PENsoR OF CHARITY.

dOnJ want the puonc 10 get tn'
impression that Mr.. Bowser is no
a good:hearted man. Such ali ides
would do him great injustice. III
is little queer in some of mis- ways
but all right as a whole, and {
more tender-hearted man nevel
lived. When we began house-keep
ing and got our first hired girl, Mr.
Bowser called me into the library
shut the door and dropped his voice
down to the confidential pitch and
said:
"Mrs. Bowser, let's start out
right. Let's respect the feelings Of
that poor girl in the kitchen"
"Certainly."
ashes Just as good as we are
and we mustn't put on any airs ovel
her. She shall eat at the table
with us, and If she has any time
from her work you might learn her
how to sing and play the piano"
~ can't quite agree with you,
Mr.. Bowser."
"Oh, you can't Woman's NOR
tai enemy is woman. Well, I'm
going out and have a little talk
with Eliza and tell her what Pm
willing to do.'
] listened at the kitchen door.
Mr.. Bowser is no man to beat about
the bush. He went right at the
business in hand by saying:
"Eliza, nobility does not consist
in riches"
She slid away from him toward
the sink.
"You are not to blame for being
in your present position. How
would you like to take singing les
sonsT'
She looked at him with open
mouth.
"And learn to play the piano p
She opened her mouth still
wider.
"And perhaps, learn how to
sketch and paint?"
She seized a pan of water in the
sink and whirled on him with:
"You Internal cross eyed old rep
rebate, to talk to an innocent girl
in that fashion Get out Of my
kitchen or I'll drown you in a min
utew
When we sat down to supper ]
wondered why Eliza hadn't put on
a plate for herself, and asked Mr.
Bowser when should begin her
piano lessons.
"Mrs. Bowser, have you lost the
little sense you possessed two OF
three months agoi" he holly ex'
claimed, and 1 thought it best to
let the subject drop right there.
A few days after that a boy
about eight years old came to the
door to beg, and as soon as Mr.
Bowser caught sight Of him he o.
served:
"Call the little shaver IN and lei
him see that the milk ofhuman kind
ness has not all dried up. Now
give him a good breakfast"
The cook stuffed him until he
could eat no more, and then Mr.
Bowser brought him into the ait.
ting.room and cut his hair, washed
the little ones face with his OWE
hands, and was gong to call the
cook in to wash his feet, when
protested:
"Now, Mr.. Bowser that is going
too far. We don't keep country
house here"
"Don't wei I wouldn't haye your
mean spirit for all the money IN
America 1t is just such people as
you who have added to the woes Of
poverty and the wickedness of the
world"
"But we can't make such fuss
over every beggar that comes
along"
Nobody expects you TO. You
are expected to stand in the door
with a crow bar and brain every
unfortunate who stops to ask for a
mouthful of food. / shall go home
with this boy. l want to have a
talk with his father, and it may
end III my adopting him."
Mr.. Bowser led the boy away,
aud it seemed, as / afterwards came
to know, went home with him.
When be left the boys house a man
was chasing him with ashovel, and
a woman with a hoe-handle was
trying to head him of, and the boy
himself stood in the door and clap.
ped his hands. When Mr.. BoTser
came home asked what had be-
come OF his adopted son, and he
roared at me:
"None of your business If l
had your spirit I'd expect to be
struck by lightningT
When we got our horse We got a
colored man to take care of him,
and at their first interview heard
Mr.. Bowser say to him:
"Now, Mr.. johnson, you are not
to blame for either your color or
your lack of education. You have
not had a show. Take that barn
and manage it according to your
own judgment. I've got a suit Of